Haystacker



April 14, 1925.

1,533,894 H. A. PETERSON4 HAYSTACKER 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed July 13, 1921 3mm/Hoz April 14. 1925.-

1,533,894 H- A. PETERSON HAYSTACKER Filed July 13, 1921 .6

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 14, 192 g UNITED Vsizyrizs PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. PETERSON, OF HOLDREGE, NEBRASKA.

HAYSTACKER.

Application led July 13,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that HENRY A. PETERSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Holdrege, in the county of Phelps and State of Nebraska, has invented new and useful Improvements in Hay Stackers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and etlicient hay stacker of the vertical type for use in connection wlth a tractor or similar vehicle 'for gathering hay or cut grain and depositing it in a Wagonl or in windrows or stacks for subsequent gathering, the parts of the device beingv so arranged as to provide for the control thereof with facility by the operator of the tractor occupying the usual seat or station; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a side view of a stacker embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of thelsame.

Figure 3 is a front view. t

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the fork head in its depressed position and tilted for ensuring a close 4or clean gathering of the hay or grain. e

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional View of the fork cushioning means.

The apparatus consists essentially of a push frame consisting of side beams 10 spaced apart laterally to a distance sutlicient tol permit of straddling a tractor, so that the latter as shown at 11 in dotted lines may be arranged between the side beams and may be connected with the rear ends of the frame as by a push bar 12 or any convenient portion of the tractor frame; together with an upright frame supported by the push frame and consisting of the side standards 13 for Supporting and guiding the vertical movement of the fork head 14 under the control `of suitable. mechanism hereinafter described.

In practice the side beams of the push frame may be made of structural YI-beams connected at their. front ends by a cross beam 15, and the standards of the upright frame may consist of T-beams of which the flanges form tracks for traverse by the inner and outer guide rollers 16`of the car riers 17 and 18 to the former of which the fork is pivoted for tilting movement as 1921. Serial No. 484,361.

shown at 19 while the latter, connected with the former by a suitable brace 20 is provided with a latch 21 for engaging the back 22 of the fork to lock the latter in its horizontal or elevating position. The tiltino' movement of the fork under the weight ort a load of hay or grain thereon in discharging the lat ter 1s limited by a cushioning means 23, conslstlng 1n the construction illustrated of rods 24 connected with opposite ends of a cushioning spring 25 which while permitting a cushioned and limited downward swinging movement of the fork tends to raise the same when relieved of a load so as to be locked in the horizontal position by means of the latch 2l which may be' disengaged from the fork to permit of the tilting or discharging m'vement thereof by means of an operating cord 26 extending to and Within convenient reach of an operator occupying the seat 27 of the tractor and supported by an overheadframe 28 extending Arearwardly from the upright front frame.

Braces 29 may be employed as indicated to connect the rear ends of the side beams of the push frame with the standards of the upright frame to stiften the structure, and the overhead frame 28 may be secured thereto at an intermediate point as shown. Preferably the trip operating cord is attached to a spring actuated take-up drum 30 mounted upon the overhead frame 28 and having a spring tension sutiicient to remove slack from the said operating co-rd without tending to operate the latch, so that in the vertical movements of the fork incident to the lowering thereof for operation and the elevation thereof for raising a load of gathered hay or grain, the operating cord will yield without releasing the fork. The disengagement of the latch, however, can be effected at any elevation of the fork by an operation thereot` by the attendant.

The operation of the forkvertically is effected by means of a drum 31 loosely mounted on the axle 32 of the front supporting Wheels 33 of the push frame, said drum being connected with the upper carrier of the fork by means of cables 34 extending over suitable guide pulleys 35 at the top of the upright frame, and said drum may be connected with the shaft to cause the forward movement of the push trame to raise the fork by means of a clutch 36 actuable by means of a shifting leyer 37 controlled by a cord 38 carried over suitable guides on the overhead frame 28 Within convenient reach of the operator. Also a brake 39 1s arranged in connection with a drum 31 for checking the movement thereof, said brake being carried by the front beam 15 and bcing' actuable by a cord 4() also carried through suitable guides on the overhead frame to Within reach of the operator.

Obviously the clutch may be operated to cause the elevation of the fork to the desired extent to deposit the load which has been gathered thereby upon the suitable vehicle, and when a sufficient elevation has been reached the clutch may be disconnected and the brake engaged to hold the fork at the required elevation While the latch Q1 is tripped to release the fork to permit of the discharging movement thereof under the weight of the load. l

In its lowered position the forli is supported by the engagement of the lower carrier 1T with the beam 15 which constitutes a rest or seat, and to tilt the fork so that the front ends of the teeth (hereof operate close to the Surface of the ground to e'll'ect a clean gathering of the vhay or grain, a tilting arm 4l is arranged on the upright frame Within reach of the cross bar 42 at the upper edge of the back of the fork, and is aetuable by an operating cord 43 also extending longitudinally ot the overhead frame to an operating lever Lle): having a dog for engagement with a ratchet 45. A bellcrank lever 46 may be interposed in said operating connection for the tilting arm to permit of locking the same 1n the desired position.

Having described the invention, what'is claimed as new and useful is 1. A hay stacker having a push frame provided with laterally spaced side beams to permit of the arrangement therebetween of a tractor, a push bar spanning the rear ends of said side beams and adapte-d for attachment at an intermediate point to a convenient portion of the tractor frame, an upright frame supported by the front end of the push frame, a fork mounted for vertical movement upon the upright -frame, a

ground Wheel supporting the push frame at -and controlling means for the fork actuati ing means carried by said overhead frame.

2; A hay stacker having a push frame with which may be connected a tractor, an upright frame supported by the front end of the push frame, a fork mounted for vertical movement upon the upright frame, and means for elevating the fork when loaded, a carrier mounted upon the upright frame and having the fork pivotally mounted thereon, cushioning means for yieldingly holding the fork in its normal position and permitting pivotal movement thereof to a load discharging position, and latch mechanism for locking,r the fork in its operative position.

3. A hay stacker having a push frame with which may be connected a tractor, an upright frame supported by the front end o't' the push frame, a fork mounted for vertical movement upon the upright frame, and means for elevating the fork when loaded, a carrier being mounted upon the upright i' rame and having the fork-pivotally mounted thereon, yielding means for yieldingly holding the fork in its normal position tor permitting tilting movement thereof under the Weight of a load to load dischargingr position, a latch 4for locking the fork in its normal position, and means for tilting the fork when in its lowered or load gathering position, to depress the load engaging extremities of the fork teeth.

In testimony whereof he aflixes his signature.

HENRY A. PETERSON. 

